Why viewers had to ‘applaud’ the fate of Justin Long’s character in horror film Barbarian

A former teen Hollywood heart-throb stars in a horror film with a jaw-dropping twist that fans can’t stop rewatching.

What do you get when producers from some of the world’s best horror films join forces in one movie? According to one critic, you get a “masterclass in tension and unpredictability”.

The producers of It, The Grudge and The Ring all worked together on the horror thriller Barbarian, which is currently one of the top films available for free on streaming platform Tubi right now.

Starring Justin Long, Bill Skarsgård and Bird Box actress Georgina Campbell, the premise is very modern-day but the thrills are a throwback to classic horror.

Justin Long plays a disgraced Hollywood actor in Barbarian. Picture: 20th Century Studios

Picture this: you arrive at your Airbnb in the suburbs only to find it is double-booked by a mysterious tenant named Keith (Skarsgård). It’s a stormy night so he invites you in, arguing that you can just co-habitate for the night as he’s harmless. What do you do?

For Tess (Campbell), she accepts the invitation, albeit reluctantly. After a surprisingly pleasant night exchanging life stories, the scenario becomes increasingly disturbing when she discovers a secret compartment in the house’s basement.

Suddenly, suburbia turns sinister.

Bill Skarsgård also stars in the 2022 horror film. Picture: 20th Century Studios

Georgina Campbell plays Tess who double-books an Airbnb house in Detroit. Picture: 20th Century Studios

Long plays disgraced Hollywood actor AJ Gilbride who is the owner of the Airbnb.

When he finds himself in financial strife after being fired from a movie when accused of raping his co-star, he returns to the home to prep it for sale, only to find that his investment property holds a horrifying secret beneath the house.

Tess soon discovers hidden tunnels connected to the basement. Picture: 20th Century Studios

The film was released in 2022 and became one of the most compelling films that year. So impactful, some fans have already added it to their rewatch list.

“Rewatched Barbarian, still impressed that what begins as a Your Worst Airbnb Fears movie takes a radical turn and delivers. Caught more on a rewatch about the differences between who is a monster, and who is a predator,” one viewer tweeted.

“The movie that made me simultaneously terrified of both airbnb’s AND any house with a basement,” added another. “Full of great surprises, suspense, humour, and probably the craziest tonal heel-turn I’ve ever seen in a movie.”

And yet another commented, “I wish more horror movies were like this & didn’t rely on jump scares!”

Long’s character suffers a terrible fate at the end of the film. Picture: 20th Century Studios

‘The Mother’ is a naked and deformed woman subjected to years of abuse. Picture: 20th Century Studios

The aforementioned predator is soon revealed in graphic scenes – a towering, naked and deformed woman that embodies both terror and tragedy.

Known as “The Mother”, she appears more mutant than human – the product of decades of abuse, left to lurk in the house’s underground tunnels with no light.

However, her backstory is heartbreakingly disturbing as Tess and AJ learn after she savagely smashes Keith – who turned out to be a nice guy – in the head, killing him.

Long has dated the likes of Drew Barrymore. Picture: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

The actor has also starred on hit rom-coms opposite stars such as Ginnifer Goodwin.

But, in a shocking plot twist that will leave jaws on the floor, it is Long’s character who holds the titular barbarian role thanks to his actions at the end.

“I’m a horror fan. To be in an audience of equally excited and passionate horror fans … and to hear them applaud my death — I know this sounds strange, but it was oddly thrilling for me,” Long told Vulture in a previous interview.

“It meant that they were invested and I did my job. That his character was truly deplorable and deserving of a pretty rough ending.”

Barbarian is now streaming on Tubi

Originally published as Why viewers had to ‘applaud’ the fate of Justin Long’s character in horror film Barbarian